Dashboard Regions Weather Stations Radar Alerts Glossary
Contact About
Log In

Register for an account and never miss a forecast again!

Register

Avalanche Forecast

Archived

Dec 10th, 2022–Dec 11th, 2022

Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Alpine
Natural avalanches unlikely, human triggered possible.
Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.
Below Treeline
Natural avalanches unlikely.

Regions

Cariboos, North Rockies, Clearwater, McBride, Premier, Quesnel, Sugarbowl, Kakwa, McGregor, Pine Pass, Renshaw, Robson, Tumbler.

Wind loaded features continue to be the primary concern. Watch for dense pockets of snow around ridgelines, slabs may sit over a weak layer.

Head to sheltered areas for the best riding conditions.

Confidence

Moderate

Avalanche Summary

No new avalanches have been reported on the persistent weak layer, but reports of shooting cracks and whumpfing around treeline elevations are keeping this problem on our minds. With limited field observations there is uncertainty around this layer.

Observations over the week reported small, natural wind slabs size 1-1.5 throughout the region in steep wind affected terrain features on north and east aspects.

Please continue to share any observations of photos on the Mountain Information Network!

Snowpack Summary

Variable winds throughout this region has redistributed the 20-40 cm of snow received this week into pockets of wind loading at higher elevations. In sheltered areas without wind effect, loose dry surface snow is making for great riding conditions.

The snowpack below this is generally weak. A layer of surface hoar, facets, and/or melt-freeze crust can be found down 40-70 cm. This layer is more likely to be reactive where wind distribution has created a cohesive slab over it.

Snowpack depths range from 70 cm at treeline to 140 cm in the alpine. Below treeline snowpack is thin and faceted (weak) making it a challenge to access terrain in many areas.

Weather Summary

Saturday Night

Mostly cloudy with flurries bringing up to 3 cm in the south. Moderate southeast winds. Freezing level below valley bottom.

Sunday

Mostly cloudy. Light to moderate northeasterly winds. Alpine high temperatures around -10. No snowfall expected.

Monday

A mix of sun and cloud with light northerly winds. Alpine high of -10. No snowfall expected.

Tuesday

A mix of sun and cloud with light northerly winds. Alpine high of -10. No snowfall expected.

More details can be found in the Mountain Weather Forecast.

Terrain and Travel Advice

  • Watch for newly formed and reactive wind slabs as you transition into wind affected terrain.
  • Watch for signs of instability like whumpfing, hollow sounds, shooting cracks or recent avalanches.
  • Seek out sheltered terrain where new snow hasn't been wind-affected.

Problems

Wind Slabs

Wind Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) formed by the wind. Wind typically transports snow from the upwind sides of terrain features and deposits snow on the downwind side. Wind slabs are often smooth and rounded and sometimes sound hollow, and can range from soft to hard. Wind slabs that form over a persistent weak layer (surface hoar, depth hoar, or near-surface facets) may be termed Persistent Slabs or may develop into Persistent Slabs.

Persistent Slabs

Persistent Slab avalanches are the release of a cohesive layer of snow (a slab) in the middle to upper snowpack, when the bond to an underlying persistent weak layer breaks. Persistent layers include: surface hoar, depth hoar, near-surface facets, or faceted snow. Persistent weak layers can continue to produce avalanches for days, weeks or even months, making them especially dangerous and tricky. As additional snow and wind events build a thicker slab on top of the persistent weak layer, this avalanche problem may develop into a Deep Persistent Slab.